CANTON, Ga. - The Southern Athletic Association (SAA) proves to be a powerhouse for Volleyball as two teams are ranked in the top three nationally in the preseason AVCA Poll.
Twenty-two points separate the Trinity Tigers and Berry Vikings in the AVCA poll. Trinity claims the No. 2 spot nationally with 1,622 points, while Berry comes in at No. 3 with 1,600 points.
The Tigers of Trinity had an outstanding run in 2025 after winning the SAA regular-season championship. The team finished with an overall record of 26-6 and cruised through the NCAA Regionals, dropping just one set to MIT. Trinity then went on to defeat No. 7 Colby College in the NCAA Quarterfinals before falling to Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the Semifinals.
Berry upset Trinity in the SAA Tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where the Vikings won their Regional after defeating Washington and Lee, Virginia Wesleyan, and Christopher Newport. The Vikings continued their success by taking down the No. 1-ranked team, East Texas Baptist University, in the Quarterfinals before suffering a 2-3 loss to the University of La Verne in the Semifinals.
Berry begins action on Saturday, September 5, at the Scranton Invite, where the Vikings will take on Tufts, Ithaca, and the University of Scranton. Trinity takes the court earlier, opening its season on Tuesday, September 1, against Schreiner in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
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